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[ANCHOR=Melanie]

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Thousands of Hokie Fans are off to New Orleans.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

And its back to work after Y2K
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

The first week of the year 2000 is starting off unseasonably mild...with today's forecast highs in the low 70s possibly tieing or setting some new records.
Otherwise, we're waiting for a frontal system to bring showers to the area overnight tonight and tomorrow..
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
(ad lib live tease)
[2-shot]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[Y2K-Monday]

For many businesses this will be the first day back at work since New Year's... and the day could bring word of some Y2K related computer glitches.
But state and local officials are confident, that if problems do appear they will be minor.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Joe/Microwave]

Joe Dashiell is in this morning with more on the situation.
[Live=Joe Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]

Melanie... the arrival of the new year wasn't the only hurdle we have to clear... Students will be heading back to school... others to work...
But the early indications from businesses that checked their computers over the weekend, and from other time zones this morning is that we should be okay.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=While some businesses]
[SUPER=07-Timothy Patsel; :13]
[RUNS=:32]
[OUT Q=banks are gonna do.]

[Live=Joe Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]
(ad lib)

[Double Boxes=Melanie and Joe/Microwave]
(QUESTION: How are businesses and government agencies easing back into the work-week?)

[E-Pitts-Y2K]

9-1-1 dispatchers in Pittsylvania County had to contend with a minor computer glitch caused by the Y-2-K bug.
(----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chatham/January 1997;]

The county's emergency services coordinator says when the computer saw the first call came in with double zeroes for the year, it concluded that it came before calls in 1996.
That was the year the system was installed.
The problem was NOT considered serious because the data was in the system, - just out of order.
(---------------)

[Youth-Haven]

Roanoke County officials have quietly closed a home for troubled girls.
No public announcement was made when Youth Haven Two closed on December 17th -- and the home's advisory board was notified only a week before the last five residents were sent elsewhere.
Officials said the home failed to attract enough girls to survive financially.
More than 260 girls had received care at the home since it opened in 1987.

[zumwalt]

He was known for modernizing the Navy and ordering the spraying of Agent Orange in Vietnam.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
[3:37:02]
Retired Admiral Elmo Zumwalt died yesterday at a hospital in North Carolina from complications relating to cancer surgery.
He was 79.
Zumwalt commanded Navy forces during the Vietnam War.
He believed he caused the death of his own son from cancer by ordering the spraying of Vietnam jungles with Agent Orange.
His son fought under his father's command in the war.
Zumwalt helped increased the power of the dwindling U-S fleet by outfitting ships with better weapons.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=none]

University Travel in Blacksburg put together the charter planes and other travel arrangements for most of these hokies fans -- US Airways provided the ground transportation and other services.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT5:45:28]
[IN Q=We have 19 airplanes]
((SARA ORTEGA/UNIVERSITY TRAVEL: WE HAVE 19 AIRPLANES ABOUT 4-THOUSAND, 4-HUNDRED PEOPLE. IT TOOK US ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO GET IT TOGETHER BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT NOW FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=six weeks]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT5:46:53]
[IN Q=When we found]
((JIM HANEY/US AIRWAYS: WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEW ORLEANS, WE'RE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN WITH JET WAYS. WE HAVE ALL OUR EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEERING TO WORK TODAY. ))
[RUNS= 12]
[OUT Q=work today]

Many fans say they are confident the Hokies will bring home the national title.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:53:10]
[IN Q=It feels great and]
((TOM WATKINS/TECH ALUMNUS: IT FEELS GREAT AND I'M NOT JUST GOING TO SEE IF THEY'RE GOING TO WIN. THEY ARE GOING TO WIN))
[RUNS= 4]
[OUT Q=going to win]
[nat sound 5:40:38 nat sound of fans on plane cheering]
((NAT SOUND OF FANS ON PLANE CHEERING:))
[RUNS= 3]

And they're off to New Orleans -- to cheer on their team this Tuesday at the Superdome.
Joy Sutton, News 7, Roanoke.))

[1-Sports]

In sports, an update from New Orleans as a key member of the Hokies may not suit up for tomorrow's championship game.
Roy Stanley has more.
Good Morning Roy.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Good Morning]
[RUNS=1:44]
[OUT Q=later on Mornin.]

[spree-killer]

A spree killer wanted in three states for three murders is behind bars this morning.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Union City, TN;]
[3:13:46]
Steven Ray Thacker was captured last night near Dyersburg, Tennessee.
His killing spree began last week in Tulsa, Oklahoma when police say he killed a woman who had placed an ad to sell a pool table.
On Saturday police say he killed a Missouri man and stole his vehicle.
Authorities say he then went to this convenience store in Tennessee and asked the clerk to call him a tow truck.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:14:16]
[IN Q=]
((MELISSA ATKENSON, STORE CLERK; HE CONVERSATED ABOUT HIS....AND HE WAS REALLY DEPRESSED ABOUT THAT.))
[SUPER=01-Melissa Atkenson/Store Clerk]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=ABOUT THAT.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Police say he then killed the tow truck driver and took off in the truck with the other stolen vehicle attached to it.
Thacker was captured a short time later.
Thacker is also a suspect in an abduction and car theft in Springfield, Missouri.
(------------)

[Fatal-Accident]

A Ferrum man is dead after he ran his pickup off the road.
Gerald Hess was traveling west on route 640 in Ferrum shortly after 6-30 yesterday evening, when his pickup ran onto the shoulder of the road, then hit a drain pipe and several trees.
Hess was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials say alcohol was found in the pickup and Hess was not wearing a seat belt.

[Health-Check]

In medical news, practice makes perfect when it comes to liver transplants.
Mika Brzezinski has that story and more in this morning's Health check.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Mika Brzezinski/Reporting; :00 ]
[RUNS=1:20]
[OUT Q=CBS News, New York.]
((A NEW REPORT CONFIRMS WHAT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS HAVE BEEN TELLING US
FOR YEARS. MINORITY PATIENTS, ESPECIALLY BLACKS, ARE RECEIVING INADEQUATE CARE.
VT=VO
((vo))
THE LATEST EVIDENCE COMES FROM A STUDY IN THIS MONTH'S ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE. IT FOUND BLACK PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WITH A BROKEN ARM OR LEG ARE LESS LIKELY TO RECEIVE PAIN MEDICATION THAN WHITES.
RESEARCHERS STUDIED THE RECORDS OF TWO HUNDRED AND ONE PATIENTS. THEY
DISCOVERED THAT 74 PERCENT OF WHITE PATIENTS GOT PAIN MEDICATION COMPARED TO 57 PERCENT OF BLACK PATIENTS.
AN EARLIER STUDY OUT OF LOS ANGELES FOUND SIMILAR DISPARITIES FOR HISPANICS.
ONCAM=MIKA
((on cam))
IF YOU NEED A NEW LIVER, YOU'RE BEST CHANCE OF SURVIVING THE OPERATION, IS IF YOU GET IT DONE AT A BUSY TRANSPLANT CENTER.
THAT'S THE CONCLUSION OF A STUDY IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE.
RESEARCHERS SAY PATIENTS WHO WENT TO LOW VOLUME CENTERS WERE TWICE AS
LIKELY TO DIE WITHIN ONE YEAR COMPARED TO PATIENTS WHO WENT TO HIGH VOLUME FACILITIES.
VT=VO
((vo))
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN HEART JOURNAL, THE LESS MONEY YOU HAVE, THE
LONGER YOU'LL WAIT TO SEEK HELP FOR HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS.
THE AVERAGE PERSON WAITS ABOUT TWO HOURS BEFORE GETTING MEDICAL ATTENTION. BUT DELAY TIME IS HIGHER AMONG THE UNINSURED AND THOSE ON
MEDICAID.
RESEARCHERS SAY GETTING HELP RIGHT AWAY IS VITAL. PATIENTS WHO PROMPTLY SEE DOCTORS CAN PREVENT LASTING DAMAGE TO THEIR HEART.
ONCAM=MIKA
((on cam))
AND THAT'S A LOOK AT THE DAY IN HEALTH. I'M MIKA BRZEZINSKI, CBS NEWS, NEW YORK.))
(ad lib to weather)

Here's a look at today's top stories.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
Virginians are bracing today for what could be the final Y-2-K litmus test--- heading back to work.

State officials will be watching closely this week as government operations and businesses go back to normal schedules.
Most private companies also will continue to monitor systems closely to ensure that hidden problems don't arise.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kim]

Tennessee authorities have captured a cross country killer.
Stephen Ray Thacker was wanted in three states for three homicides.
His killing spree began last week when he allegedly killed and Oklahoma woman.
It ended last night with the murder of a tow truck driver in Tennessee.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

More than a dozen chartered flights left yesterday from Roanoke for New Orleans as Virginia Tech fans flew to see the Hokies face Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
The college football national championship game is tomorrow night.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And that's what's making news on this Monday January 3.
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

News 7 Mornin' will be right back.

[2-Y2K-Monday]

The new year is young... but so far Virginians have experienced few Y2K related computer problems.
This morning, many schools and businesses will be firing up their equipment for the first time since Friday... and they may experience some problems.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Joe/Microwave]

Joe Dashiell has more on the situation... and the expectation that all will go smoothly.
[Live=JoeD Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]

Melanie, industry experts say that some problems might not appear for weeks or months... but this morning the financial markets are up and running in other time zones... and we aren't expecting any serious problems here.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=The festivities at]
[SUPER=07-Alan Bowling; :11]
[RUNS=:30]
[OUT Q=pretty surprised so far.]

[Live=Joe Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke]
(ad lib)

[Double Boxes=Melanie and Joe/Microwave]
(QUESTION: What have we heard from local business and government agencies?)

[2-E-Pitts-Y2K]

On community experienced a Y-2-K problem over the weekend.
9-1-1 dispatchers in Pittsylvania County had to contend with a minor computer glitch.
(----------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Chatham/January 1997;]

The county's emergency services coordinator says when the computer saw the first call came in with double zeroes for the year, it concluded that it came before calls in 1996.
That was the year the system was installed.
The problem was NOT considered serious because the data was in the system, - just out of order.
(---------------)

[E-Y2k-Leftovers]

The threat of the Y2K bug led many people in our area to stock-up on food and water.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Bell Hall has been storing canned foods and other non perishable items for more than a month.
In fact, she says she has enough food to feed her family for about two months.
And even though the Y2k bug didn't cause any serious problems -- Hall says she doesn't regret stocking-up.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT57:16]
[IN Q=I think it is still a good]
((BELL HALL:I THINK IT IS STILL A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT STILL COULD HAPPEN YOU NEVER KNOW THIS IS JUST THE 2ND AND ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN AND WE'RE READY FOR WHATEVER))
[SUPER=07-Bell Hall; :00]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=for whatever]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Hall says if nothing happens -- she'll store the food for a possible winter storm.
Meanwhile officials at the Salvation Army say you can always donate some of your additional food to a charitable organization.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT52:37]
[IN Q=We do give out]
((CAPTAIN STEPHEN LONG/ROANOKE SALVATION ARMY: WE DO GIVE OUT FOOD ORDERS HERE EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK AND WE ALSO SERVED 70-THOUSAND MEALS LAST YEARS.SO WE'LL PUT THAT FOOD TO GOOD USE.))
[SUPER=01-Capt. Stephen Long/Roanoke Salvation Army]
[RUNS=:08]
[OUT Q=to good use.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The Salvation Army will accept any nonperishable food items.
(----------)

[dole-endorsement]

Republican sources say Elizabeth Dole will throw her support behind one time presidential rival George w. Bush.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File;]
[3:20:04]
Dole who dropped out of the race three months ago, is expected to make it official in New Hampshire tomorrow.
There's also word she'll make several campaign appearances for the Texas governor in Iowa.
That state holds its caucuses later this month.
Mrs. Dole's husband, the former Senate Majority leader, has not yet announced who he'll back.
(------------)

[Golan-Heights]

Shepardstown, West Virginia will host the latest round of Middle East peace talks scheduled to begin today.
President Clinton will be on hand as Israel and Syria try to hammer out a deal.
Both countries are eager to end years of hostilities.
Syria wants back the Golan Heights.... land Israel captured in 19-67.
Meanwhile, Israel wants assurances that Syrians will rein in terrorists bent on destroying the Jewish state.
Jesse Shulman reports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[3:06:20]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Golan Heights, Israel; :00]
[SUPER=01-Adam Montefiore/Golan Heights Winery; 1:02 QUICK!!!!]
[SUPER=01-Jesse Shulman/Reporting; 1:51]
[RUNS=2:00]
[OUT Q=the Golan Heights.]
((In Israel the prospect of peace is producing little euphoria, but a lot of angry debate. "We'll never leave the Golan" from the right...its "Peace Now" from the left. Any treaty will have to pass muster in a
national referendum...but this is a very divided country and from the Golan Heights it's not hard to see why.
Menashe Cohen fought the Syrians here in 1967 and then came back to raise a family... and flowers for export. The ties that bind him to this place couldn't be stronger.
SOT: I FEEL THE GOLAN LIKE IT'S A PART OF MY BODY
When Syria last held these heights Israeli settlements below were under constant threat. The Six Day War changed all that and for more than thirty years the Golan has given the Israeli army the high ground in
its face off with a bitter foe.
For Israelis the Golan is also about wide open spaces and irreplaceable sources of good water... and fine wine.
At the vineyard they're worried it's going to be a very bad year.
ADAM MONTEFIORE/GOLAN HEIGHTS WINERY
SOT: IT WILL BE HEARTBREAKING TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING FOR A BIT OF PAPER//FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE UP THEIR HOMES
But Menashe's not worried, he's happy. He believes a referendum will never pass.
SOT: IF WE WILL WIN THE REFERENDUM IT MEANS THE GOLAN HEIGHTS FOREVER WILL BE IN ISRAEL, THERE WILL BE NO MORE QUESTION
S ABOUT IT.
Ruty Levanon has been down this road before. In 1982 she had to pack up her home when Israel pulled out of Sinai in return for peace with Egypt. There's no way she's moving again. Or is there?
SOT: I CANT SEE ANYBODY HAPPY ABOUT IT, FROM THE SIDE OF MY HOUSE, THAT I WILL HAVE TO MOVE, AND THAT I HAVE TO PAY THE
PRICE, BUT I WILL BE VERY HAPPY IF THERE WILL BE PEACE.
Despite the divisions Israelis of every political persuasion fell in love with this place. Now the question is how many will trade heartbreak for the uncertain promise of peace in the Middle East.))

University Travel in Blacksburg put together the charter planes and other travel arrangements for most of these hokies fans -- US Airways provided the ground transportation and other services.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT5:45:28]
[IN Q=We have 19 airplanes]
((SARA ORTEGA/UNIVERSITY TRAVEL: WE HAVE 19 AIRPLANES ABOUT 4-THOUSAND, 4-HUNDRED PEOPLE. IT TOOK US ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO GET IT TOGETHER BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT NOW FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=six weeks]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT5:46:53]
[IN Q=When we found]
((JIM HANEY/US AIRWAYS: WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEW ORLEANS, WE'RE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN WITH JET WAYS. WE HAVE ALL OUR EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEERING TO WORK TODAY. ))
[RUNS= 12]
[OUT Q=work today]

Many fans say they are confident the Hokies will bring home the national title.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:53:10]
[IN Q=It feels great and]
((TOM WATKINS/TECH ALUMNUS: IT FEELS GREAT AND I'M NOT JUST GOING TO SEE IF THEY'RE GOING TO WIN. THEY ARE GOING TO WIN))
[RUNS= 4]
[OUT Q=going to win]
[nat sound 5:40:38 nat sound of fans on plane cheering]
((NAT SOUND OF FANS ON PLANE CHEERING:))
[RUNS= 3]

And they're off to New Orleans -- to cheer on their team this Tuesday at the Superdome.
Joy Sutton, News 7, Roanoke.))

[E-Dominoes]

Students in China and Japan are knocking down records with a classic game.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[15:20:27]
[SUPER=03-Beijing, China]

On Friday-- they set a world record for toppling dominoes by knocking down two-point-seven million pieces.
Hundreds of students from Beijing College watched for 40 minutes as the pieces fell in continuous succession revealing more than 40 pictures and emblems.
The former record was set by a group of students in the Netherlands on this day twelve years ago.
(------------)

Now here's another look at today's top local stories:
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Melanie]

Folks across Southwest and Central Virginia are hoping to avoid any Y2K problems when they return to work this morning.
But the early indications from businesses that checked their computers over the weekend, and from other time zones this morning is that we should be okay.
(----------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

9-1-1 dispatchers in Pittsylvania County had to contend with a minor computer glitch caused by the Y-2-K bug.
The county's emergency services coordinator says when the computer saw the first call came in with double zeroes for the year, it concluded that it came before calls in 1996.
That was the year the system was installed.
The problem was NOT considered serious because the data was in the system, - just out of order.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
(Kimberly mic hot)
(///////////////)
(Kimberly ad lib weather)
(-------------)
[SCHOOLWATCH]
(Schoolwatch)
[Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Patrick]
(toss)
[ANCHOR=Patrick]
(live ad lib, tease tomorrow)
(ad lib bye)
[Double Boxes=Melanie/Kimberly and Patrick]